Smart Growth & Water: Resources & Tools

SWMM

SWMM is a dynamic rainfall-runoff simulation model, primarily but not exclusively for urban areas, for single-event or long-term (continuous) simulation. Both single-event and continuous simulation can be performed on catchments having storm sewers, or combined sewers and natural drainage, for prediction of flows, stages and pollutant concentrations. This Web site provides the model for download as well as documentation to accompany it, and several additional plug-ins developed by users. modeling/analysis Web site downloads of reports and executable files

EPA's SWMM Version 5.0

Beta Test site and future site modeling software for stormwater modeling/analysis Web site

Geographical Information Systems, Decision Support Systems, and Urban Stormwater Management

The available urban stormwater modeling software programs are reviewed and discussed with respect to their GIS integration capabilities. Decision Support Systems (DSS) are reviewed with respect to their integration with GIS and their applicability to urban stormwater management problems. A simplified neighborhood scale decision support system (DSS) is presented that includes a GIS, a database, a stormwater system design template, and an optimization capability for screening alternatives.

Stormwater Management Academy

A listing of resources on stormwater management and engineering principles, including software downloads.

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Smart Growth Case Studies

A short description of 19 Smart Growth case studies excerpted from the book "The Smart Growth Toolkit" published by the Urban Land Institute and available for sale through the same Web site. A listing from the Urban Land Institute Larger Smart Growth Case Studies

Sound Waves (*PDF, 926 kb)

The fall, 2001, issue of Puget Sound Action Team's quarterly newsletter focuses on low impact development around the Sound, interviews with local LID experts and highlights of case studies from the east coast. Puget Sound Case Studies.

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Stormwater Planning - A Guidebook for British Columbia

The stormwater planning guidebook — a new tool for local governments — presents a methodology for moving from planning to action that focuses on implementing early action where it is most needed. The guidebook approach is designed to eliminate the root cause of negative ecological and property impacts of stormwater by addressing the spectrum of rainfall events. Stormwater listing from the Urban Land Institute Larger Smart Growth Case Studies.

Ecological Design Manual For Lake County (*PDF, 1,392 kb)
East Central Florida Regional Planning Council

This manual illustrates how development objectives and natural resource protection needs within a high-growth area can be addressed through the physical design of residential projects.

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Conservation Design for Stormwater Management, Delaware (*PDF, 9.93 mb)

A conservation design manual that provides guidance on protecting and incorporating natural site features into a site¿s land development process and stormwater management plan. Contains guidance on site assessment; design principles, procedures and practices; and case studies.

Urban Small Sites Best Management Practice Manual

Minnesota's BMP manual provides information on tools and techniques (to assist Twin Cities municipalities and WMOs) to help them guide development and redevelopment. The manual includes detailed information on 40 BMPs that are aimed at managing stormwater pollution for small urban sites in a cold-climate setting. The goal of the manual is to support the principles of accomodating growth while preserving the environment. Clear design guidelines with diagrams are provided for each BMP.

City of Portland, OR - Stormwater Management Manual 2002

The manual provides developers and design professionals with requirements for reducing the impacts of stormwater runoff quantity and pollution resulting from new development and redevelopment within the City of Portland (both public and private are addressed).

Innovative Urban Wet-Weather Flow Management Systems

This manual provides a conceptual history of water in the urban environment, then, describes innovative methods to develop improved wet weather flow management systems for urban developments of the 21st century.

Stormwater Practices for Cold Climates
Center for Watershed Protection

The document explores some of the challenges of cold climates, such as freezing temperatures and high runoff during snowmelt events, and their influence on the effectiveness of traditional stormwater practice designs. Included are descriptions on modifications that can be made to traditional practices to make them more effective in these environments.

National Stormwater Best Management Practices Database

This interactive database provides access to BMP performance data in a standardized format for over 190 BMP studies conducted over the past fifteen years. Data when available is presented on the efficiency of pollutant removal.

CA Stormwater Best Management Practice (BMP)

Handbooks from the state of California Includes residential, municipal, industrial and other non-residential applications, and BMPs for preventing pollution from urban areas.

Natural Approaches to Stormwater Management

A Web-based display of the Puget Sound Action Teams' study on using LID techniques such as soil amendments and bioretention, harvesting rooftop rainwater, and using permeable pavement to better deal with stormwater, and restore ecological water balances.

Low Impact Development Urban Design Tools

The LID Center, Inc., site provides design specifications, technical diagrams, and cost-sheets for LID techniques including bioretention, green roofs, permeable pavements, rain barrels and cisterns, soil amendments, and tree box filters. These tools and techniques may be used to meet regulatory and receiving water protection program goals for urban retrofits, re-development projects, and new development sites. The site has been developed through a Cooperative Assistance Agreement under the US EPA Office of Water 104b(3) Program in order to provide guidance to local governments, planners, and engineers for developing, administering, and incorporating Low Impact Development (LID) into their water resource protection programs.

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